The Monday Mail is back after a long summer vacation, and today we're helping Denise. Denise has two great nieces (first cousins to each other) who will be flower girls in a wedding next March, and they need appropriate fragrances. It will be a large evening wedding with 350 guests, but Denise says it will be "more linen than silk". The wedding will be held in the South — the weather could be hot, or it could be cool.
The young ladies are both 5 years old, and they'll be wearing long dresses. They'll have wreaths of flowers on their heads and will be carrying flower balls. They both have naturally curly hair, fair skin, and they're both tall for their age. Denise says they're "girly-girls" who love playing dress up and will use up your lipstick if they get their hands on it.
Denise wonders if it might be wise to find something available in splash rather than spray so that they can control the application easier, but that isn't a deal breaker.
What say you?
Note: image is letter box by leo reynolds at flickr; some rights reserved.
Is Marc Jacobs Daisy too obvious? Adorable bottle, very girly-girl, skews very young, and they’re flower girls, so the allusion is the most perfect thing imaginable.
I instantly thoguht of Marc Jacobs Blush, but maybe Daisy is even better. I guess they will love the bottle!
The first fragrance that popped into my mind was VW Princess. Yeah, I know that’s not a very original suggestion, but I think they’d like the bottle, the purpley juice, the fragrance, and the name. They’ll feel like princesses the way they’ll be dressed up, so it seems appropriate. And, young girls seem to favor yummy fragrances like that.
I’ll see if I can think of something more orginal though…
They sound precious. I’m thinking that for their age, they need something utterly simple, as well as something that, even if they overapply a bit, won’t suffocate the other guests. Borsari Violetta di Parma, or maybe one of the YSL Paris springtime flankers? I don’t know if the Borsari comes in a splash bottle, and I’m pretty sure the Paris flankers don’t, but it would always be pretty easy to decant into little splash bottles. I keep seeing pretty little empty perfume bottles on ebay, both new and vintage.
that is a nice idea—particularly the YSL florals–they’re light and breezy and uncomplicated, and with an overall innocence.
I’d have to second, and third both those suggestions….perfect choices! And , yes they’d like the bottles too.
Yes, i thought of Marc Jacobs immediately too.
Marc Jacobs Daisy I mean.
Oh, I don’t know about the splash being a better application control-wise….with 5 year olds I think a splash would end up being a bath or all over the floor. I’d go for the spray and at least on the ”big day” I’d supervise the spraying.
Don’t stone me! …Mariah Carey M – Cute butterfly bottle and smells like marshmallows. I like it, again please don’t stone me…lol
Fist thing that popped into my head were those Harajuku Lovers by Gwen Stefani.
HG in the solid perfume perhaps — somehow I think if it as more gentle…
First of all, I also think the spritz would actually be easier to control in terms of application–just determine in advance of the big day how much actually comes out per spritz! 😉
If this is a money to burn kind of wedding, I’d go with Byredo Blanche, which smells “clean” with a hint of flowers. Mind you, the mom in me is screaming “noooo” at price, at hints of depth, blah blah. I’m just saying, IF it’s that kind of wedding.
Otherwise, I agree with the simple suggestion. Too bad Crabtree & Evelyn is not as accessible these days…something like a Rosewater might be just right. (Just what kind of flowers the girls are carrying would affect my choice, too, btw.) Other lines offer this kind of option, too, like Penhaglion’s.
Which brings up another choice–put a floral water in a pretty bottle for them. Keeps it simple, overapplication is near impossible, it is special/unique but affordable.
Oh, nice use for the Byredo! It was rather a fabric softener scent, but that would be perfect on small girls. My own love the little 5 ml decant bottles from TPC, so you wouldn’t have to go all out w/a FB.
IMO, 5-year-olds are much too young for straight on perfume. You don’t want them to “smell” costumey! If they must be scented, I’d go with ScentSelf’s suggestions of rosewater…or lavender water. Something very light, natural, fresh and subtle.
AG’s Petite Cherie. You can unscrew the top to use as a splash. I’m not a fan of children wearing perfume, but this is a lovely fragrance.
My first thought was Petite Cherie, so I 2nd!
I third Petite Cherie. Whereas many other florals are grown-up fragrances trying to be sweetly innocent Petite Cherie really *is* just sweetly innocent, without losing complexity. I always thought it would be the perfect fragrance for fairy tale princesses.
I’ll fourth that. Petite Cherie sounds perfect.
I love Petite Cherie, and can’t believe I didn’t think of it. It is perfectly innocent and beautiful, and sweet without being candied.
Diorissimo EDT? Muguet seems just right for little girls. N.B. Our mother would always dab some cologne on our heads after our shampoo. We loved it!
Ooh! Diorissimo’s a good idea. The opening might be a little startling for the kids but the drydown is completely charming and appropriate.
This is certainly an odd Monday Mail. My opinion is go to Walmart and pick up some cheap body mist and be done with it. This much thought does not need to go into what the flower girls are going to wear, because frankly, its not their day. They will be noticed for maybe 30 seconds when they are walking down the aisle, and then the focus will be on the bride for the remainder of the ceremony.
It sounds to me as if the bride wants to make the girls feel special on this very special day; as if she understands that the day is not, in fact, all about her, but about giving all her guests a wonderful and memorable time; and as if she is considering every detail to allow this to happen. All of these are laudable goals, all too rare in the age of bridezillas, and I cannot imagine that anyone would be mean-spirited enough to criticize her for her big-heartedness.
Absolutely. Well said.
My vote would be the Guerlain specially created for children. Petit Guerlain has no alcohol, no heavy base notes. It’s a very innocent scent featuring chamomile, sweet lavender and leafy violet that I think would be perfect for this special occasion.
I agree: what a lovely thought to make the flower girls’ day special, too. I remember when I was a flower girl and I was given a tiara of deep blue-purple hyacinth to wear; it remains one of my favourite scents because of that.
Forgive me if my sarcastic nature surfaces on this one, but if your going to buy a designer or niche fragrance for a 5-year old i think you’ve lost your mind. You might as well get them mini LV bags to keep the travel sprays in and Blackberry’s to take pictures with at the reception. I still say go to the toy dept. and get the Tickle-Me-Elmo fragrance.
Rictor07, the purpose of the Monday Mail series is to help people find perfumes. It isn’t so that we can provide an opportunity for commenters to pass judgment on what they want or why they want it…so perhaps this is not the time or the place to indulge your sarcastic nature, thanks.
Ouch. Cheap body mist from Walmart? Heresy!
and tickle-me-elmo fragrance?? I don’t think so. Let every part of the wedding be special.
Wow, 5-years-old. Trying to imagine how I would feel if a five-year-old came up to me and gave me hug and she smelled of anything other than the lightest, cleanest, soap and shampoo… And yet, speaking from the girls’ point of view, I would have loved being “annointed” by my glamorous aunt on the special day, and to maybe have something to take home. So.
I love the idea of a simple rose, lavendar or orange blossom water. Pre de Provence does excellent versions of these–you could decant into a pretty sparkly spray bottle if you wanted to make it a gift (heck, add some glitter while you’re at it!). Another idea would be the Crazylibellule line–maybe Ether Lilas or the Diorissimo-esque Aux Ange, or one of the sweet gourmands from the Poule de Luxe collection. The packaging is flat-out adorable, and solids make it nearly impossible to: a) spill, b) break, c) over-apply.
(A big no on the splash bottles for all of the above reasons!)
Ohhh! I forgot that Pre de Provence does a Linden/Tilleul scent that is simply lovely. It’s the smell of clean white blossoms to me.
I can’t believe nobody has mentioned Petit Guerlain yet! That would be my choice if you want “classy” (although you can get it quite cheaply online at the discounters); if you want “fun”, I second (or third?) the idea of Marc Jacobs Daisy. Annick Goutal’s Petite Cherie would also be a nice “classy” choice.
Didn’t scroll down to see this note! See my comment above. . . 😉
Hey, who has time to scroll down? 😉
Thanks, R. 🙂
I second the Petit Guerlain or suggest PdN’s Petit Ange, both are lovely. I don’t know if they still make the PdN though.
How nice the bride is to share in her day with the girls. That is a fragrance memory they will enjoy and cherish I’m sure!
I would use Roger et Gallet Petit Doux Nature or Bulgari Petits et Mamans, I think that both are more “age appropiate” than teenagers scents.
Second the Petits et Mamans; there’s also a couple in the Givenchy Tartine et Chocolat line, but they might be harder to find.
I think it is all in the application with girls this young. I’m actually a fan of a splash so you can dab gently on the wrist and behind the ears so it is subtle and yet they feel special. I let my 3 year old wear perfume on special occasions – she has a little 5 mL mini bottle of Flowerbomb that in tiny doses smells lovely on her and brings a smile to her little face.
I also would recommend Daisy or L’air du temps.
How about L’Artisan’s Jour de Fete? It’s a very delicate almond and vanilla scent, not very long lasting and not musky at all like Lea… just very light.
Yes, or Chasse aux Papillons, so soft and pretty. I hadn’t even thought about L’Artisan, since they generally seem very grownup to me, but there are a couple of them that would be appropriate for the very young. The price might be off-putting, though.
I highly recommend Jo Malone Orange Blossom — it’s a very delicate, evanescent orange flower that’s pretty and girly and wouldn’t be at all jarring on a 5-year-old. As an added bonus, it doesn’t last too long, perfect for over-exuberant spritzers! Someone above mentioned Penhaligon’s, which is another good suggestion; maybe Bluebell?
Just about anything from the AG line would work well…maybe Le Chevrefeuille? Or l’Occitane has a fragrance for children which, IIRC, is a light almond/floral scent. My own 5-year-old is currently lemming her own decant of Etro Anice, for an “out there” suggestion.
I love it! A mini perfumista! You have raised her well!
I thought of a few more ideas. Maybe a fragrance that comes in rollerball form? Or a solid compact? I know Sephora sells MJ Daisy in solid perfume necklaces and shimmer rollerballs.
I was just browsing Sephora’s site and they have many other frags that might be appropriate in rollerball form, i.e. LAVANILA, Aquolina Pink Sugar, Philosophy…
Also, I’ve seen some rollerballs at Ulta. Sula makes some fragrances that little girls might like.
How about La Rose du Petit Prince? Here is from Robins review:
“La Rose du Petit Prince is the entry for young girls, and has notes of clementine, orange, bitter orange, grapefruit peel, carrot and celery seeds, tea, rose absolute, moss, amber and cedar” …
“It is light enough that a young girl could spray it on with abandon and still not create much sillage”
Here is the whole article:
https://freebox.it.com/2006/07/18/le-petit-prince-le-petit-prince-b612-and-la-rose-du-petit-prince-fragrances-for-children/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I tried this and got mainly citrus and rose, it’s sweet and fresh, not bad at all.
Hi Denise – the whole thing sounds so pretty.
My rec’s to you are the following:
Van Clef and Arpel has a very very pretty flanker to First called Premier Bouquet. It has one of the very prettiest freshest light sweet floral “fresh apple” accords I have ever smelled, and then it dries down to a very soft white floral. It is super girly and very pretty and fresh. Very light. Check it out before you think it would be too formal for young girls.
L’Artisan Mimosa Pour Moi would be truly lovely and fresh on little girls, esp. as it is a more linen than lace event. It is very soft and light and has that sweet freshness that only comes with mimosa and vanilla.
Laura Mericer’s Neroli is a very pretty and soft floral orange blossom that is lightly sweet, fresh, almost gourmand, and would be very pretty for a spring wedding for small girls.
Ferre Rose by Gianfranco Ferre (a Francis Kurkdjian fragrance) is also a very sweet light fruit-floral that would be fun for young girls. Very similar but a tad more formal in composition is the Parfums de Nicolai Rose-Pivione which is a sweet light peony-fruit-rose composition.
Again, all of these could be decanted into cute little pour bottles for the girls.
Good luck!
I also wanted to mention, if you want to control the application for them, if they are wearing cute little dresses, you could always spray some on their ankles, or the hems of their dresses. Or you could give them a cute little kerchief to carry or tie some ribbons in their hair or around their wrists that have fragrance on them …
I second the ankles recommendation – I do that myself sometimes and it really works nicely.
Can I just add a few more that would be so sweet on a little girl?
Caron’s Aimez Moi would be so lovely with all that soft violet..
Similarly, the Guerlain Apres L’Ondee….
And also Sonoma Scent Studio Lieu de Reves…
I never would have thought of L’Artisan, but now that you mention it, Mimosa Pour Moi would be very pretty on a little girl.
Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise is a soft floral once it dries down and the little bottles are easy enough to get to let each one keep their own bottle as a souvenier.
That or let them pick out their own Demeter fragrance like Dandelion. Just be careful because they may want to pick Jolly Rancher.
My twins got corresponding Versace Baby Jeans frags (there’s both one for boys and one for girls) for their first birthday from me, of course. 🙂 I’d spray a light mist on their chest, then put their clothing over it so it was a subtle fragrance on their skin and clothes. I don’t believe either one comes in an alcohol-free formula, so that’s something to consider, but Baby Rose Jeans is both feminine, a little sweet, and very appropriate for a young girl. And doing a skin test prior to the wedding would be a good idea, too, since there’s the issue of children’s sensitive skin and the alcohol to consider. Bvlgari also makes a scent designed for babies that’s light and pretty, but might smell too much like a baby to please the girls.
Of course now my daughter is all of seven going on seventeen and adores Givenchy Insolence, which I supervise the applying of since one could lay waste to an entire city block if Insolence is over-applied. But she still has a fondness for Baby Rose Jeans and sometimes even sprays a little in her hair before school. It’s pretty enough for a wedding or can be worn with a sweater and jeans or sun dress as well, and it’s not very expensive at all.
I think Violetta di Parma would be a good choice, too. It wouldn’t overwhelm in Southern temperatures, and it’s practically impossible to put too much on. 🙂
Good luck and I hope it’s a wonderful wedding. Many blessings on the happy couple!
I’ll second the Baby Rose Jeans – I used to have a bottle of this many years ago. It is very light and soft, sweet rose. It reminds me of a less expensive version of L’Artisan Drole de Rose..
Oops. Meant Guerlain. That’ll teach me for posting prior to having my morning tea. 😉
I just realized I’m someting of a hypocrite – my son has been wearing cologne for about 3 years; he started at 7. So yes, it is okay for children to have it, if they want it. And for a wedding, it’s a lovely gesture. I know as a child I adored it when my Mum would dab L’Air Du Temps parfum on us.
I’m still a sucker for Anais Anais after all these years. I don’t know a single adult who wears it anymore, but it might be really sweet (as in endearing, not sugary) on some fair-skinned five year-old girly girls. (Two kids after my own heart, I might add. That was me back in the day.)
I still wear Anais Anais on occasion.
L’Occitane Eau des 4 Reines is a nice simple rose, pink, not very strong, and not expensive.
I’ve considered buying a bottle again. I don’t like that everyone can immediately name what i’m wearing, but if it’s good, it’s good, ya know?
I know what you mean. I had this same debate with myself over Calyx. In the end I got it and now enjoy it whenever I need an 80s flashback – in a good way 😉
Hmmm..is this enabling and enabler?
It doesn’t take much to enable me. 🙂
What about the Crescent Row Laugh with Me LeeLee?
Definitely Petit Guerlain.
As an aside, it makes me want to cry that a lot of the scents being mentioned for 5 year olds (Petite Cherie, Daisy) are ones I currently wear at 25.
Why? Nothing wrong with retaining a little innocence as long as you can, IMHO.
Hey, I’d wear Petit Guerlain or Petite Cherie, why not?
I wear Petite Cherie on occasion, and I’m well into my thirties. I don’t see anything wrong with a fragrance that transcends Ageism.
Yes, I say wear what you like, regardless of the target age!f (In perfume I mean, not so sure about clothes…)
hmmmm….Yves Rocher Lilac or the Rose Absolue one or L’Occitane Cherry Blossom.
Ideal is to take the suggestions, narrow to 2 or 3 choices and let the girls each select their favourite. Though I have limited experience with 5 year olds…don’t know if I am suggesting an invite of hassle.
I want to second or third the idea of perfume solids (so that application is very easy to control). Some of the Pacifica solids would be nice for younger children on a special day. Both the lemon blossom and orange blossom are nice without being too grown-up or sophisticated (and they smell nice together if you want to give them different scents). The packaging is cute and they are a steal. Another idea would be some Demeter minis.
I second the Pacifica line….several light, pretty scents to choose from and in solid or in a little bottle, it seems the perfect size for two emerging perfumistas….I do love the Malibu Lemon Blossom.
Adding in that my first fragrance was Honeysuckle by Avon, I think I got my first bottle when I was 6 or 7.
Simple soliflores (or soliflore-styles) are wonderful on little girls, regardless of complexion color … is it just me or am I seeing all kinds of presumptions and stereotypes on this post?!
I got my first bottle around the same age…White Shoulders, I think, or maybe L’Air du Temps, can’t remember.
I included the complexion because Denise did. I know many people think it matters in fragrance selection, although personally I don’t think it makes any difference at all. But not sure what other presumptions/stereotypes you mean?
Complexion and age are the stereotypes that stand out for me… Look, I’m a firm believer in letting children be children, but there are times when the power – and allure – of scent holds and creates memories that transcend age. Wearing fragrance should be an experience that transcends age, experience , fashion sensibility and complexion. Perhaps I take added personal offense because I do not possess the fair complexion others speak of, but feel that regardless, I’m entitled and deserving of any fragrance that I choose suits ME. And that includes lovely soliflore-type notes as well as more exotic offerings and classic chypres and gourmands… ah! so many choices for my enjoyment – why should I feel limited by age or skin color??!! (Personally I don’t, and I embrace my honeyed coloring and rich ethnic background and age, and true, unaltered enjoyment of anything scented that makes my heart sing… I defy anyone to tell me what I ought not wear!)
I wear perfume wise what I want, and don’t take my age or colouring into account, and I’m sure I never will!
I don’t pay any attention to those sorts of things either…I think it’s all silly.
I had a honeysuckle solid from avon too when I was a very little girl. It came in some sort of molded plastic flower form. I wish I still had the container!
Also had an Avon Honeysuckle as my first perfume. 🙂 Funny, I kept having that come to mind as I was reading this, and kept pushing it out of my thoughts because I couldn’t think of any good current honeysuckle scents. It seems like the perfect little girl scent, but maybe that’s just because of the association I have with it.
L’Occitane is wonderful for this – they had a nice honey-and-lemon scent that I never wore but deeply admired. Also, I guess there is a set of peach-scented items? The look, though, might not be appealing to little girls.
I can totally see where someone might want to water down the scent on a child, though (and I say this with no judgment at all – I think perfumes are a lovely gift and the bride is very sweet for thinking of something like this). The way my mother used to do this was to give me some perfume that she would put in one of those antique-looking bottles with the squeeze-pump sprayer (SO sophisticated) and mix it with a little water. However, I’m not sure how many perfumes mix with water, so maybe not the best idea? But those bottles – did I ever feel grown up!
That’s a very cute idea. I seem to recall that my older sister and I had some sort of bulb spritz bottle we used to play with as children. It would be very easy indeed to get some of those types of frilly bottles and put some high quality rosewater or orange blossom cooking waters in them – then they could just spritz away – and it would only last for a few minutes.
L’Occitane’s Honey and Lemon – this is one that I am perpetually indecisive on – sometimes sharp and tangy, sometimes reminiscent of tea when sick, sometimes comforting… an odd scent that I can never decide on!
Erm…. skip the perfume? They are 5 years old….
Sacrilege!! Skip the perfume?? This is a perfumista sisters (And brother) blog!!
and brothers , I mean.
There’s always Anna Sui’s Secret Wish – light and fruity, and the bottle has a little fairy on the top!
Another suggestion could be to go with a softly scented cream. Wild Honeysuckle and Enchanted Orchid from Bath and Body Works are both gentle, comforting floral scents. So nice that you are doing this for your flower girls. Great idea! 🙂
I agree with others on the Marc Jacobs Daisy fragrance. The solid perfume pendant is a white daisy outlined in gold. It comes in a cute golden pouch. I bought one for a friend for $35 CDN at the Bay. I think the girls would love the necklace and would be able to keep it as a keepsake after the big day. The following site shows the pendant: http://www.choice-cosmetics.co.uk/ekmps/shops/kia_2878/images/daisypendant1.jpg
The Daisy solid perfume pendant is also at Sephora for $25 US.
I’m going to be ready to duck the rotten tomatoes, but what about something really sweet like Paris Hilton Heiress, or JLo Glo?
Jessica Simpson Fancy would be along the same lines and would probably appeal to the very young: it’s sweet but not overwhelming, and actually not bad for a celebrity scent.
I actually really like Heiress! It smells like Mr. Bubble!
My friends daughter wears Bvgari Petites Ets Mamans. I love it and bought a bottle for myself. splash on and ve
ry clean.
I, too, will duck the rotten tomatoes and suggest the following:
1. Hopes & Dreams from the American Girl doll company.
2. Truly Me from the American Girl doll company.
3. Sweet Pea from B&BW. The minis are a nice size for such a young girl.
4. Any of the Barbie perfumes – Modolo, Free Spirit, Sirena, etc.
To add on to this, what about Hello Kitty MomoBerry?
Now that I think about it Demeter has some scents that would be appropriate for a very young child, too.
Dear Robin,
The wedding was this week-end and the girls were lovely. Dressed in long, white cotton gowns heavily banded in cotton lace, they were utterly charming with flowered wreaths on their heads and bare feet. No make up was needed to brighten their adorable pink cheeks, but both insisted on lip gloss so a whole tube was sacrificed for the cause, starting about 4 hours before the wedding. At the last minute, they were sprayed by their grandmother with Estee Lauder’s Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia. This was chosen from consultation with the bride. She felt it went best with the orchids and Spring flowers used throughout the church and resort. Besides, gardenias are the girls grandfather’s favorite flower. The next day, after they were the belles of the ball, even making command performances on the stand with the band, I ask them how they liked the perfume. “Pretty,” said Cameron, the more rambunctious of the two. “I liked it. It smelled nice,” added Payton, the more advanced at a whole 5 1/2. I say the choice was a resounding hit. Thanks to everyone who helped. Denise Cook
Sounds so lovely, thanks so much for the update!!